Warney sentencing set for Friday

The second man charged in the scandal that brought down the mayor of Hamilton will go before a judge for sentencing Friday.

Rob Warney, the town’s former director of Community Planning and Compliance, plead guilty to one charge of money laundering last year, which carries up to 20 years in jail and a $250,000 fine. Warney resigned his post in June before pleading guilty to the charge.

Former Mayor John Bencivengo was sentenced to 38 months in prison last week after a jury convicted him of five felony counts last year. Warney testified against Bencivengo at trial and was also featured on tapes recorded by the prosecution’s cooperating witness, Marliese Ljuba.

Warney testified that in 2011 he was given a $5,000 check for a “cherry bedroom set” from the husband of Ljuba. The check, made out to Warney’s wife was then cashed without her knowledge.

Rob Warney said he then took out that cash in increments and paid them to Bencivengo. Warney was recorded on tapes made by both Ljuba and Bencivengo for the FBI where they are talking about the check.

Prosecutors said that Warney had reached a deal with them in exchange for his testimony in the case.

Bencivengo was convicted of taking $12,400 in total, $5,000 check included, from Ljuba in exchange for his influence with two Hamilton Township Board of Education members in their votes on her lucrative health insurance brokerage there.